UM Student Union’s Sept 3 slogan draws hostility

The University of Macau Student Union came under fire after it updated its Facebook cover picture to read “To commemorate warfare with flowers, not tanks” on September 3. The slogan, an apparent response to Beijing’s military parade which occurred on the same date, drew criticism from some of the university’s students, many of them from the mainland, as they accused the union of imposing its own political stance on the UM student body. They similarly mocked the group for being ignorant of the message behind the showcase of weaponry to mark the end of WW II. However, many other students voiced their support for the Union, praising the group’s courage for expressing its stance. Four student groups from other departments also issued a joint statement in favor of the Union’s actions.

Macau Jockey Club to run another two years

The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, announced that the government has granted the Macau Jockey Club a concession which will allow it to run for another two years. He said the horse racing operator had promised to introduce “novel initiatives” into its business, which were in line with the government’s goal of “diversified gambling.”  During the two-year period, authorities will study how traditional horseracing can be integrated into their efforts to veer towards more diversified gaming in the region. The city’s gross revenue from horseracing betting plunged 52.6 percent year-on-year to MOP100 million during the first half of the year.

More austerity measures may be implemented

The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, told media representatives last week in Beijing that the government might consider another round of austerity measures if the domestic economy remains unpredictable. He stressed that the welfare of citizens would remain intact even if the government intensified its efforts to reduce internal budgets. Chief Executive Chui Sai On concurred, stating that the domestic economy was still “robust” with significant fiscal reserves accumulated over recent years. Chui was confident that the number of tourists would rise again under the government’s planned promotion campaigns, thus boosting the economy.